The Sabotaged Holiday
by mfnikki97
Summary: Team Westen works really hard. So when Fi decides that it's high-time they had a holiday on the beaches of Miami she doesn't plan on one of her old acquaintances to pop up and drown her wonderful plans into the Atlantic ocean...
1. Chapter 1 The morning routine

_Tring-Tring_

A figure moved in bed…

_Tring-Tring_

The figure turned itself again…

_Tring-Tring_

The thing just wouldn't stop….After a while of the constant ringing, a hand shot out of the blanket and cut the alarm off...

After rolling a little bit more, Fiona Glenanne sat up in bed. Rubbing her eyes with the balls of her fists she threw the blanket, previously lying on her, to cover the asleep silhouette of her boyfriend. Then swinging her legs of the bed she stood up picking the alarm clock and squinting at it to check the time…4:00 AM…

Putting the clock back, she walked up to the sink, switching on the percolator; she fumbled along the cabinets trying to find the coffee grounds…

"I just bought some day before..." she mumbled.

Having found them she put them in and then sitting on the stool, she put her head on the workbench and shut her eyes…

A beeping noise from her percolator woke her up, reminding their coffee was done. Picking up a mug for herself, she poured out a strong cup of coffee. Settling back into her seat she stared at her curtains, the newly relocated workbench, Michael, her cup and then finally the alarm clock...

"Michael!...Michael! Get the hell up! Oh god I'm late! I was supposed to be having coffee with _you_ right now! Wake up you great grand-dad!" She said as she took quick paces to his side of the bed.

"Michael, get up!" she said shaking him.

"….mmmm…No…uh…" He said as he turned himself over.

"What no! Get up! We're late already!"

"Time…what?..."

"7 minutes past 4! We're officially 2 minutes late now Michael! Now move your sorry ass out of bed!"

"It's 4 in the morningggg…me wanna sleep….let go..."

"You wanna sleep? Well, I never asked you if you wanna sleep or not! You promised me a week ago Michael! This holiday is much needed! We need to relax!"

"Can we start that….by…letting me sleep?..."

"Oh no you have slept enough! If you'd have gone to bed like me, Sam and Jesse at 8 this would not have been a problem…but no! you need to stay glued to those stupid dossiers!"

"Sam n Jesse didn't go to sleep that early….they were having beer with me…"

"Oh well….serve them right too! Birds of a feather huh?"

"Ya ya feathers on a bird….Can I sleep now?" Michael covered his head with the pillow.

Fi narrowed her eyes and then pulled the velvet soft blanket off him.

"Where blanket go?..." Michael murmured as he groped around for the blanket with his head still stuck underneath the pillow.

"The blanket go to hell! Like you will if you don't wake up!"

"I feel cold!"

"Its god-damn Miami, Michael! How cold do you think it gets here?"

"I don't know…I feeling cold!"

"Stop being an I-specialist! Now MOVE!" she said shaking him hard. In response, he rolled to the edge of her side of the bed. Exhaling audibly, Fi bent over giving him a light push spoiling the very delicate balance he had managed to attain.

"Owwwwwwww! I hit my head on the table Fi!"

"Good! Now you're awake! Now get up!" she said walking past him to the counter.

"Can I get a little help here Fi?"

"No you cannot! Thanks to you, my coffee is cold now!" she said throwing the dregs into the sink. "Now drink up!"

"Where you going?"

"To get the bag. Last minute check."

"Bag? Who's bag? What bag? Which bag? When bag? How bag?"

"Our vacation bag…"

"Vacation? We're going to the beaches of Miami Fi!" he said dragging every syllable.

"We're going for 3 days! Unless you intend on living like a stone-age cannibal covering yourself with palm leaves, I suggest you shut up and help me out a little bit."

"Help you out with what? You sat and packed from 5 to 7 in the evening yesterday! And then you had dinner…never served me and went to sleep without even saying a word to me!"

"Oh wait! Let's remember what you were doing at that time! Yeah when I mentioned packing, you ran away with Sam! When I called you to tell you that I made dinner, you in the nicest way possible, told me, I was a fricking mad woman to have food this early and then dismissed me off before I could say anything much of a good night, with a ' I can handle it Fi! Its fine, I'll wake up at whatever time you say. Just don't drag me to bed this early.'" Fi said air quoting his words and putting on his voice.

"Fine I get the idea. Just get that cursed bag!"

As she climbed up the stairs of the loft, he sipped on his lukewarm coffee. Suddenly feeling disgusted tasting coffee this early in the morning, he tipped his into the sink too.

Fi audibly yelled from the top "Oh my god! Why does this always have to happen to me! Michael…._catch!_"

"Fi what are you gonna-

Michael dashed across the loft as Fi suddenly threw her big cotton tote from the top. Catching it in the nick of time, even he had to buckle under the weight of it. He didn't expect it to be so…._full!_

"What was that for?"

"We're late Michael! Put it on the bed and go for a bath!"

"Now? It's cold and I'm still sleepy!"

"Oh screw the sleep! I thought we had this conversation before!"

"Maybe not enough! It's 4:15! What are we doing up this early! Is it even legal to go to beaches this early?"

"Michael, first of all…what happened to the all-spy resistance, the ability to stay up in all odd times, not feel cold in _Miami_? And we're not going to the beaches right away! We're going to watch the sun rise over Miami horizon!" she said grinning at him widely.

"I'm on vacation remember! Why are we doing this apparent aimless job of staring at the sun?"

"Michael, because it is a memorable way to start a vacation, even if the only kinda vacation you'd let happen in Miami is the kind that starts Friday morning and gets over Monday morning!"

"No the only kinda vacation I'd like would start Sunday morning, end Sunday morning! You extended it on either sides!"

"Well, when I asked you guys whether we needed some R'n'R you guys said 'no' so I vetoed 'yes'." She said pushing him towards the bathroom.

"That's because we really didn't need-

Fi shut the door with a resolved 'bang' behind him. "Take a bath quickly, and Don't. You. Dare. Wet. The goddamn bathroom!"

Then picking up her mobile, she conference-called Jesse and Sam…

"PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE ALREADY!"

Mike jumped inside the bathroom in fright. Speeding up his rate of putting the toothpaste on his toothbrush. When this woman had decided, she'd do anything to get it done.

Fi called them for the third time, this time a very tired Jesse picked up the phone.

"Hullo?"

"WAKE UP!"

"whoa! Where? What? Huh?"

"PICK UP YOUR ASS, TAKE IT TO THE BATHROOM, WASH IT, CLOTHE IT AND MAKE IT DRIVE THAT FANCY CAR OF YOURS TO THE CARLITO'S!"

Sam finally picked up his phone.

"Uh?"

"YOU TOO SAME THING!"

"What?" Sam exclaimed.

"She's telling you to pick your ass and wash it and clothe it man! And oh ya….and make it drive your fancy car to the carlito's!"

"What?"

"MAYBE I WAS NOT BEING CLEAR! I THINK I WAS BEING QUITE CLEAR, WASN'T I JESSE?"

"Can somebody please tell me why a guy and a fricking mad woman are calling me up in the middle of the night and teaching me ass-cleanliness?"

"Because you can't do it yourself man." Jesse said matter-of-factly.

"ARE YOU JUST ABOUT DONE IN THERE?"

"Who?" both the voices came in simultaneously.

"I'm doing it alrite Fi! Can I just shave in peace!" Mike yelled from inside the bathroom.

"Is that Mikey?"

"No it's just some other seedy guy I just picked up from the bar last night….OF COURSE ITS MICHAEL! YOU IDIOT!"

"What is he doing?" asked Jesse.

"WASHING THE BATHROOM FROM THE TIME HE'S TAKING!"

"I can hear you!"

"I KNOW! THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT OUT L-O-U-D! AND YOU TWO! WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING ON HERE? HAPPY HOUR! DO I HAVE TO ELUCIDATE EVERYTHING I SAY? GO-TAKE-A-BATH!"

"YES MA'AM!" all the three went….

Mike came out of the bathroom grumbling and shivering. "Why is it called a holiday…Stupid sun…who goes to see the sun anyway?"

"There you are!" Fi said. She looked up at him holding her phone in her hand. Apparently she was screaming at them in loud-speaker mode.

"Are you two just about done there?"

"YEAH! HOLD ON!" yelled Jesse.

"Can't a man just put his trusted _Old Spice_ on!

"What are you doing taking a bath in Old Spice? Just put it on already! What are you trying to court the sun?"

"Don't hurt his manly instincts Fi" Michael finally managed to speak up instantaneously regretting it.

"Oh you shut up Michael! Wear that T-shirt quickly! What trying to make me melt with your abs or something? Not working! Fold that blanket! Put those abs to some good use!"

Michael pouted while Sam and Jesse laughed in the background.

"Now what are you two laughing about!"

"Nothing nothing!" they both went.

"Still applying overbearing musk?"

"No! I can't wear my jeans with one hand!" Sam exclaimed.

"What's the other one upto?"

"Wearing a pair of shorts! Leave me alone! Pester Mike instead!"

"Shut up! You two I'm letting you off the hook right now! Meet-me-and-Michael-at-the-Carlito's-at-5:30. Is that clear enough?"

"Yup!"

"Yeah!"

And the clicks of two phones could be heard. "And now what the hell are you doing?" Fi asked Michael.

"Now I'm going for a bath. Dare you, so much as even look at the bed, let alone sit or lie, I swear to you Michael Westen! If you don't sleep on the loft stairs for the rest of your life then my name is not Fiona Glenanne! And oh yeah! No sex for a fortnight!"

"But-

"zip!"

"Fortn-

"Shhh or it's a month!"

Michael pouted and sat on his favorite green chair. "Can I at least have yogurt?"

"This early in the morning? Yuck!"

Fi gave him a look of disdain and then picking up her towel walked into the bathroom.

Michael looked at the bed….it looked so tempting! But the woman wouldn't have sex with him if he violated the code of trust! "Who does that? No sex for a fortnight!" staring grumpily at the blanket neatly folded by him, he suddenly got an idea.

She didn't say anything about where he took the blanket! He picked it up and walked out of the loft towards the Charger. "At least I'll get some sleep there!"

_**Author's note: So that was the first chapter. Last time lots of peps were like… "It's a one shot right?" n "Oh I thought it was a one-shot!" so no this is officially NOT a one shot…you guys just have to suffer me for a little longer…..**_

_**On another note….loved writing Fi this time! Hope she's not too overbearing! :D **_


	2. Chapter 2 Sunny sideup

_**Author's note: Thanks to all the stunning reviews for the 1**__**st**__** chapter! Thnx to all the anonymous reviewers n to the signed ones too! Made my day! Sorry if I took long to put this one up…. Lastly…..Keep 'em coming! LOL :P**_

Fi walked out of the bathroom laden in towels.

"M...ichael?"

Doing a partial perimeter check, she concluded that Michael was _definitely_ not in the loft. Hey! Maybe the sex-threat worked after all!

Walking up to the bed, she saw that her phone was alit with 2 messages.

'_I'm leavin d house woman! R u fine now? Stop killin me! Who goes 2 c d sunrise anyway! – S :-( '_

'_Fi I'm in d car sleeping….c I dint violate ur codes! Good nite! (atleast I wished u =( )'_

Fi laughed really hard! What she was gonna do with these men? Trusting them, they'd curse her all they liked till the moment they realized she was pure genius!

"That moment's not faraway men!"

Looking at the watch, she cursed herself…

"Shit! This is got to be the worst sun-seeing in the world!" Quickly slipping on her dress, she gave her hair one last brush before walking up to the big bag Michael had left on the bed.

"Swimming suits- check!

Dresses- check!

T-shirts- check!

Shorts-check!

Bucket-load of moisturizer-check!

Flip-flops-check!

Fancy shoes-check!

Open shirts-check!

Jeans-check!

Sun hat-check!

Electronics-check!

Guns-check!

And…._the smallest packet of C-4- CHECK!"_

She said doing a happy bounce at the last one. Who knew….maybe the beach might need it's fireworks….Picking the bag up, she did a final check on the neatness of the loft and then smiling she picked up the keys and shut the door after her.

Standing on the top of the stairs she had a clear view of the garage where she could see the Charger.

"Michael? You there somewhere?" she said walking down the stairs dubiously….the bag was pretty heavy.

Walking in front of the Charger, she balanced her bag on the bonnet and smiled to see the little scene inside.

Michael had pulled back the seat to accommodate his long legs and had pushed the backrest back, and was lying with the blanket covering his upper half…his head was tilted to one side and he had his mouth in the trademark half open 'o' that he made when he was asleep. Fi restrained all her muscles to not go and smother him with kisses. Instead, she opened the door and tapped him gently.

"Michael….wake up! Time to go Michael…"

"Huh? Leave me alone Fi…." He said turning away from her putting the blanket on his head.

"Ok can I just have the keys so I can drive?"

"Take it"

"How? Where is it?" Fi said scanning the dashboard and glove compartment.

"Mmmm pocket"

"Ok take it out and give it to me…then you can go back to sleep." She said smiling encouragingly at him.

"Hmmm what?"

"Nothing nothing" she said sighing. Putting her hand underneath the blanket, she felt around his shorts until she found his pocket, then digging her hand inside she finally located the keys and pulled it out of a writhing Michael.

"Fi! What are you doing Fi! Fi its…Stop it!" he said laughing hard….. "Stop! I'm ticklish there!"

"Really?" she said coyly "Nice place Westen!"

He looked at her as she gave him her 'naughty-Fiona-Glenanne-looks'. The woman was a she-devil in disguise. What sort of a woman cruelly woke a guy up in the bitter cold to give him a hit to the balls.

"Ok! Michael? Are you ready for the best…. Weekend… of your life!"

"Ya…" he said falling back to sleep again.

Laughing softly, Fi drove down the marina….she was in a great mood and the monotony was killing her.

"Where is the boyfriend when you need one? How moot!" she said turning on the radio. "let's hope the songs this early in the morning are nice…"

"Oooh! Good one!... _I got a girl in Paris__I got a girl in Rome__ …..na na nana….__I got a girl on the moon__,__I got a girl on mars_…..I love this song_!...__ I got a girl right here, and one right there__  
><em>_And I got a girlfriend everywhere__! _"

Michael picked up one corner of his blanket to stare at his sadly chirpy girlfriend…

The woman looked funny… she was swaying with the music and her fingers were tapping against the steering wheel. She even stopped to increase the volume a little bit more and started clicking her fingers. At this rate he was going to die in the most lyrical road crash ever…

"Fi! 10 o'clock!"

"Huh?" she said still bobbing her head to the music.

"10 o'clock! 10 o'clock Fi!" he said pointing to the steering wheel…

"Oh!... No…."she said slowly nodding as the truth dawned on her. Then quickly shaking her head she went back to humming.

'_I can't look death in the eye…I'm not a brave person….I'd rather hide my head under the blanket and wait for it.' _ Michael thought to himself…

Fi's mobile suddenly rang. Putting it on loudspeaker she propped it on the dashboard.

"_Hello? Fi!"_

"Yeah Sam"

"_Uh I am 3 blocks away from the Carlito's….we're supposed to meet there right?"_

"Uh 3 blocks?" she said subconsciously accelerating.

Michael didn't look fine. He didn't trust the newly-repaired Charger to sustain that kinda sudden acceleration. "Fi a little….a little more gently?"

"Ya ya sure" she said putting a little more torque.

"_Uh Fi…Am I the only one who's gonna reach there on time?"_

"No what an absurd thought! Where's Jesse? I'm only 2 blocks away…"

"2 blocks?" Michael looked outside the window. Unless the Carlito's had shifted…they were definitely 5 blocks away.

Fi made a 'zip it' gesture toward him, and he put his head back.

"_Ok I'll call Jesse up. Meet you there?"_

"Done Sam" she said raising her speed to a cool 100 km/hr.

Michael felt queasy. He didn't want to bust his ass in his mom's greasy garage for another afternoon fixing the Charger.

*(*)*

Fi actually managed to make it to the Carlito's full 3 minutes before Sam. Sitting in the car she glowed in the happiness of beating Sam and Jesse again. She was perched on the bonnet of the Charger when Jesse came speeding in, stopping a meter away from it.

"It's hard to believe that a 5"3 woman dragged three 6 feet guys out of their beds!" he grumbled.

"Two powers you should never underestimate- flower power and woman power! Oh and there's gun power, horse power, punch power….explosive power! We shouldn't underestimate powers."

"Yeah"

Suddenly Sam came in his white Caddy from behind. He seemed equally grumpy. He slammed his car door. Then suddenly went,

"Oh shit! Oh I'm so sorry! Cads I'm so sorry! What sort of a boy toy am I? I'm so sorry!" he said gently rubbing the Caddy window.

Jesse looked repulsed…

"When did…? Does he know?..."

"You'll get used to it." Fi said sympathetically. Sam walked up to Jesse's car and opening the door he slammed it hard.

"Hey you can't do that! It's my car!"

"I can't do it to my car either! I can't believe that a 5"3 woman dragged three 6 feet guys out of their beds!"

"Two powers you should never underestimate Sam…Flower and woman power." Jesse said in a dead-pan voice as fi nodded adding "…then there is gun power…horse pow-

"Oh My God! I can't believe we are going over this again!" Michael said irritably from inside the car.

"Oh! So that's where you were… I was getting worried she killed you on the way!" Jesse said sordidly.

"But then remember brother I wouldn't let that happen to you. I'd rather die than let you die like that…" Michael smiled at him….and then Sam smiled his big grin too…

"OK! We are having a connection moment in the middle of the morning?" Fi asked amusedly.

"You mean middle of the night!" three voices said screaming at her…

"OK….OK…"

"Ah! Carlito… I was starting to get worried…." She said smiling at the jovial Spanish man that greeted her. Jesse and Sam took this opportunity to sneak into the Charger, Sam snuck in at the back and Jesse sat in the driver's seat.

"Any chance we get to sleep here?" Sam asked…

"Not much…I tried all this time…its kinda difficult thanks to Fi and the overall temperature in here…" Mike stated frankly.

"Screw that! She is sweet talking Carlito into something…Jesse go Bye-Bye…"he said lying back

"Good chance for me to brush up on my rusty Spanish." Sam declared suddenly.

"My Spanish is great! But I rather not flaunt it here…" Jesse said with a put-on accent.

"Ok…._Mr. Inteligente__Pantalones…_" Sam said huffily.

"Umm….Mr...Smart Pant?"

"Don't. Say. It. Like. That! I don't know what smarty is ok….now Shut Up! Let me translate they are speaking real fast!"

"_Por cierto gracias por abrir tan temprano que no tenía la intención de inundar su apretada agenda ya sé que estás muy ocupado… Con todo lo que la gente las inundaciones en el café todos los días"_Fi said deftly.

"Ok…something about flooding…the schedule…and being busy…"

"Why does what Fi say make more sense than what you say?" mike asked.

"Hey! Hey! At least I can speak Spanish."

*(*)*

"Uh...fi are you sure this is the right way?" Sam asked dubiously.

"Of course! I was there just yesterday!"

"Fi…I don't see it on any map…the GPS won't recognize any place this site…"

"_Hijo de puta_! Don't tell me you are trying to discover it on your tech jing-bang! I just discovered the place the day before…I was jogging and…. I suddenly stumbled upon it!"

"WHAT!" Michael exclaimed.

"Stumbled upon it?" Jesse shouted.

"And you didn't die?" Sam snided.

"Stop it guys!...Ok…its right there….park the cars here" She said as she jumped right out…the scene that came in front of them filled them all with a little bit of awe and in the case of the three men sudden lethargy.

"Waitaminite! Are you trying to tell me that you expect me to climb that mountain on an empty stomach?" Sam yelled at her.

"Its not a mountain it's a RIDGE! And anyway it'll do you a lotta good…fat-ass!" Fi countered.

"MY ass is my booty alright? It's one of my assets alright?...one of my many assets…" He said as the group started climbing the hill.

"The sun better be worth it fi." Jesse warned her.

"The worst week-end EVER!" Michael defiantly stated to Jesse and Sam then adding to Fi… "Um…so fi where were you at again?"

"Um…Climbing the ridge?" A silent snigger ran through the group.

"Fi we look like a bunch of idiots climbing a muddy mountain in the god-damn dark….to do what? Look at the sun!" Michael finally confessed "we can see that from the bed looking outta the window!"

"The point, Michael, isn't to see the sun; it's the time we spent together…"

"Which I could have done at the loft! Without having to sleep in the Charger! My legs are cramping! With that girlfriend song blaring through my ear! Thank You Fi!"

"It was at 10 Michael!"

"You were listening to Avril?" Sam asked.

"Who's he?" Mike asked naively.

Immediately he was met with 3 unbelieving stares and a few half-open mouths too.

"It's a _she_ and you don't know her?" Sam finally asked.

Michael looked around sheepishly before continuing to climb up the incline with a feeble "No…"

As he walked up he could feel 6 eyes piercing his backside. _'Sheesh! Was he just supposed to be born knowing these weird names?'_

"Unbelievable! Fi muttered before starting to climb again.

"Yeah….How does someone not know Avril?" Sam asked incredulously.

"It would be much appreciated if you two stopped muttering behind my back!" Mike said sharply.

As Fi readily complied along with Jesse, Sam gave his best 'Lord-save-the-Queen' look and trudged up the hill. '_I need new friends…Elsa's are so sophisticated….look at mine! Couple of confused teens!'_

Reaching the very top of it they saw that it suddenly dropped into a steep cliff with breakers on the other side…in reality the hill wasn't very high….wasn't even much of a hill just an incline…

"Fi it's cold!" Michael complained.

"Too many mosquitoes! I'm becoming a bloody _Sam-garita_ here!

"Forget that! Its pitch dark here! One wrong step and you will be the garland adorning the rocks!" Jesse exclaimed.

"Stop bitching like a couple of 15 year olds…and don't tell me one little bug chickened you out Sam! Jesse! Sense of balance! Anyway I was here earlier and it was just fine! Once you see it, trust me! It'll all be worth it!" She said shrugging in delight.

*(*)*

They were sitting snugly, shoulder to shoulder Jesse, Mike, Fi and Sam. They sat at the edge of the cliff with their legs dangling over the edge. They sat in comfortable silence when suddenly,

"Guys! Look!" Fi whispered pointing to the horizon.

They lifted their gaze but saw nothing. Then staring more intently, they glimpsed it.

Across the expanse of dark ink blue sea, a tiny speck of golden sunlight was glinting off the water surface. The shining pinpoint grew quickly brighter, more radiant; gleaming, lighting the sky in its golden, red and yellow hue.

Michael watched in wonder as the light transformed into a beacon that hovered above the shadowed city.

"Nobody ever gets to come up here at sunrise. That's why I wanted us to discover what others hadn't. This is what I wanted us to witness." Fi whispered.

Sam could feel his pulse quicken as the glow atop the ocean intensified. "I can't believe it can look like this." Sam mumbled, his eyes wide open.

The light inched farther down the cliff as the sun crept over the horizon behind them, as the ray strengthened; it engulfed them in its brazen, setting their shadows in long figures down the path.

Jesse felt the sun warm his bones…life hadn't been all good for him but on some days like these, seeing sights like this and hearing the soothing sounds of 3 pairs of rhythmic breathing beside him…he knew…he had friends…people he could trust…he was good now.

Beside Michael, Fi breathed deep, long breaths and inched closer. He put his arm around her. As they two sat side by side in silence…Fi thought about how far they had come…all of them…she and Michael…Sam and her…Jesse and her…they had made it through a lot…and she knew there was a lot to make through but the belief that she had friends and family strengthened her faith. Unknowingly, Michael, Sam, Jesse had become more than friends…they had become family…who would die for her and whom she would die for.

She rested her head on his shoulder…he was her rock...and then so much more…

'_Enough of psychological thoughts Fi! You're spoiling your own view! Stop thinking! Start staring!'_

"BEST WEEKEND EVER!" Fi gently whispered. And this time…three heads gently nodded…in that moment, the sun streaming down all of them, they felt a powerful upwelling deep within…_HOPE!_

-20 minutes later-

The sun was streaming with its long rays making them feel like they were thrown into the familiar Miami cauldron.

"Um…Fi…can we stop staring now? My eyes hurt!" Mike said after a while.

"Oh…you guys were waiting for me? I stopped watching it a long time ago…I was waiting for you!" She said sheepishly smiling.

"And I actually loved you guys for a minute there…"Sam said smirking sarcastically.

"I'm hungry! I'll get the food." Fi said giving Sam one last dirty look by heading down the hill for the cars.

"I'm getting Elsa here!" Sam declared.

"You think she'll be impressed with this Mr. Mud Ass?" Jesse asked with a small laugh as Mike

guffawed loudly.

"What the-

Sam yelled as he turned his head to see a slight mud patch on the seat of his bottom. "I loved these pants!" he said ruefully.

"I'm hungry!" Jesse moaned.

"Me too!" Mike laughed.

"Me three!" Sam concurred.

"Oh! The lady bears food! Ah! Holy divine lady, why hast thou been kind enough to give so much?" Sam added, snatching the basket that Carlito's had neatly packed the food in.

"Uncouth" Fi said shaking her head as she pulled out Michael's blanket from under her arm and spread it on the ground…much to Michael's horror.

"But…Fi! That's my blanket! My favorite too!"

"I know Michael…but it's old, needs replacing we have my duvet now remember? She said smiling encouragingly at him.

"I liked it!"

"Fine…I'll wash it later okay?" She said and Michael nodded. They were ravenous by now so the picnic was set up quick…

"Um….so we have salads….and um….homemade yogurt!. and um tortillas….and a flask of iced-tea….which is mercifully still iced…some sandwiches…fruit salads….blah blah blah…" Fi said picking out boxes from inside the basket and setting it around.

"Ok we don't need an introduction to food! Just serve it!" Sam said digging his fingers into the tortilla bowl and then stuffing it into his mouth.

"Where did you get yogurt from?" Mike asked picking out the sealed yogurt.

"Uh…Rosa, Carlito's daughter gave it to me, as a sorta thank you gift for helping her with her chemistry project. I explained reactivity to her. Its easy….we make bombs right?"

"Fiona, the next time I stop you making bombs, shoot me!" Mike exclaimed breaking the yogurt seal open.

"With pleasure" She said looking genuinely happy.

The guys looked at her in fright. This woman was capable of anything. They all got up after eating and started cleaning up.

Fi collected all the boxes and put them into the basket….walking down Jesse asked

"Now where to?"

"Uh Sam's reserved 3 beach side cottages for us, thanks to Elsa…" cocking her head in acknowledgement toward Sam, "Sooo we're playing follow the leader now. Time for me to relax."

"I get to be the leader? Woo hoo!" said Sam jovially walking towards the car. "Follow me troops!"

*(*)*

_**Author's note: Ok first of all, that song Fi was singing was NOT by Avril. Its 'I got a girl' by Lou Bega. This whole Avril thing was just a spoof! LOL! :P **_

_**And I know that this story seems a little aimless right now…but they need to have some sort of a vacation before Burn Notice-style trouble falls on them…so just try to live with it just thinking its one of those fluffy one shots until later…**_

_**Please review and put in all the ideas u have tht u'd like to see in this fic….i'll try to include them lol :)**_


	3. Chapter 3 Someone's in town

Three cars stopped in front of the resort. Four people stood up, stretched, handed their keys to valets and stood at the entrances as house keeping quietly came and took their bags to their cottages. Standing in the reception Jesse whistled

"Wow, some place!"

Mike, Fi and Jesse roamed around the reception while Sam chatted amiably with the receptionist, Monica…

"This is the life to live baby!" Sam said suddenly appearing behind them.

"They certainly don't skimp on luxuries!" Fi said stating the obvious.

"Or on security" Mike said pointing at the cameras that covered every inch of their ground.

"Obviously! You just didn't expect them to stay like sitting ducks, while people steal stuff and go! Ever heard of surveillance and security? It's an integral part of a hotel plan." Fi said.

"Yup!Our most common security requests. We map where cameras go and what they see etc. It's big money!" Jesse said smiling at the last line.

""Hence proved by the car the valet drove away with…" Mike said coyly.

Sam suddenly spoke up cutting them off "Ok! So we are ready to go but I think I'll give you a walking tour as we go. Much of it is upstairs but I guess we'll see that later."

As he turned and walked away, Fi and Michael raised eyebrows at each other.

"Why is he acting like he owns the god-damn resort?" Fi asked.

"'cos he practically does" Jesse said matter-of-factly.

A general sense of consensus passed through the whole group as they walked past the main lobby. Fi looked up to admire the great luminous chandelier that was positioned above them "This place has an aesthetic appeal….I'll give her that."

They walked out the stairs to the expensive beach property the resort owned…walking down a path filled with loose white pebbles Fi removed her heels and walked nimbly holding them in her hand. "Ooh it's like a foot massage! It feels like a spa already!"

The path was lined with plumeria trees, the branches swaying gently in the breeze and bending under the weight of the giant red & white flowers the different trees flowered.

Fi reached up and picked a big bloom and stuck it into her hair. Michael smiled at her and walked through the middle of the path to avoid hitting the braches while Sam kept pushing them out of the way. Jesse just opted to bend away from them.

"First time since I came here, I feel like I stay next to a beach for real….I can't believe I spent more time in the dumb everglades than here. Why can't the bad guys camp here instead of some insect laden swamp?" Fi complained.

"'cos it's a better tactical position than the ocean" Michael said giving his 'you-don't-know-that-much' look.

"That was rhetorical Michael!" she said thoroughly irritated.

In front of them on the soft sand were 3 _huge_ cottages made entirely out of wood. They had a small verandah each with a bamboo swing and a hammock decked with cushions. Fi's eyes dilated with excitement. She ran past the men and dropping her shoes she perched on the hammock, and finally settling in, she lay back using the cushions to rest her back against. Fi closed her eyes as the hammock swung gently in the wind, swaying and rocking her. The cool sea breeze blew into her face and hair. The vacation lethargy just spread through her bones…

"Ok! That woman is weird!" Sam said looking all weirded-out.

Jesse turned towards Mike and said "Ok, confession time, I snuck some files into my bag without Fi's knowing…I was supposed to finish these today and submit them by the day end but thanks to your girlfriend right here I've gotta give them on Monday! My boss is a bit of a bitch when it comes to deadlines. If I'm kicked out on my ass on Monday, your girlfriend pays my bills!" said Jesse going towards his own cottage, shutting the door hard for emphasis.

Sam looked awkwardly at Mike and said, rubbing his chin, "Listen buddy…I need to see the highlights of yesterday's match."

"You saw the game with mom yesterday!"

"Yeah well I forgot OK? I gotta go!" Sam said rushing to his own abode.

"But?..."

Michael looked a little forlorn as he walked up to Fi; he picked up her abandoned heels on the pathway and dropped them on the steps of the verandah.

"Michael?"

"Hmmm yeah Fi?"

"Could you give me a teeny little push?" she said opening one eye to look at him.

He smiled and nodded holding a rope of the hammock with the tips of his fingers, pulling it towards him and then letting it swing. He moved closer to help it move better when suddenly Fi's hand shot out curling itself on the hem of his T-shirt and pulling him towards her.

He staggered on the spot and decided to fall face first into the hammock rather than landing on his ass and breaking his spinal chord.

He felt his torso hit Fi's bony knee and he immediately contracted in pain.

"Owwww!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Uh! If you wanted me to sit couldn't you have just told me that?"

"And what good would that do Michael? Would you have just sat down?"

"Yeah"

"Ok come up!"

Michael sat at the edge of the hammock and kicking his sandals off he sat back right next to Fi.

"Ow your hand Fi" He said moving a little off her as she moved her hand away from his shoulder. Then settling his hand under Fi's head, he relaxed back staring at her pedicured feet.

"Are we gonna visit the beach?" Fi asked looking up at him…

*(*)*

Night had set over the great Miami scene, the lights of the city glinted as calm ink waters gently lapped the shores. The summer night Miami fest was in full swing, set on the South beach, it was a total gala! They had set up a small stage on the beach, where every corner lit up with colorful lanterns.

The bar was running on full throttle now as tenders did bottle tricks to entertain people. The dance floor or simply the sand was pleasantly cluttered with people dancing. There was a DJ and a band at disposal and they seemed quite fine taking turns to present.

In the far corner there was a long table or two getting prepped for the buffet line that would feed the 100 odd people.

A tall man lead a blond to the bar towards three people seated on bar stools….

"Wow! Jess you are on fire today!" Fi declared as Jesse got the woman to finally go.

"Yup! I counted your progress. That's the third girl you're dancing with today!" Sam smirked.

"Yeah! I don't know what's up with them! But that woman….whoo! She _can _dance!" Jesse said smiling to the woman who had gone and joined her friends again. She smiled and waved at him.

Michael looked at Fi…She looked a little impatient but otherwise seemed to love the whole night…The music according to her was just her style. Although what that meant was entirely beyond him. Although halfway through though he got it quite well….there were songs that were in general mellow and many times in Spanish and what sounded like French, he didn't quite know.

Fi looked decidedly frustrated now… "Michael? Are we just gonna sit here just doing nothing?"

"We're not doing nothing?Why?"

"Nothing" she said in a dead-pan tone.

"Ok" Michael said picking up his beer bottle…

A guy walked up to Michael and Fi and said in a thick Spanish accent "Could I have a dance señorita?"

Fi looked at Mike expectantly waiting for him to disallow it or at least look a little grudged about it, but he seemed to be just fine.

She pouted at him and said "¿por qué no?" walking away with the Spanish guy.

Sam banged his head on the bar. "What happened now?"

"Nothing" Mike said looking at Sam weirdly.

"Where's Fi, Mike?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"Off to dance with some Spanish guy"

"In front of you?"

"Yeah why?"

Sam shook his head, stood up and walked right up to Mike towering over him so much that Mike had to lean back to see Sam's face.

"Can you see those people there Mike?" Sam said acting like a pre-school teacher. "Can you see them?" He said turning Mike's head towards the dance floor.

"Yeah! Back off! And leave my head alone"

"What do you think they are doing there Mikey? Are they eating bananas? NO! Are they playing with Lego dolls? NO! So what do you think they are doing?"

"Ummm they are dancing? Are you drunk Sam?"

"Are you drunk? Who is that woman out there?" Sam said pointing at Fi.

"Uh Sam? You need an aspirin. And a nice bed"

"_That _is your_ girlfriend _dancing with_ that _weird mustached _hombre_!_ Your _girlfriend Mike! He's doing what she wanted you to do! What do you do with a girlfriend Mikey?" Sam asked ruefully.

"I'd say but I don't think you'd want to hear" Mike said.

"Apart from that!" Waving his hands in front of Mike's eyes.

Mike looked at him cluelessly, so Sam finally gave up.

"Mikey! She wanted you to dance with her all this while! I mean it was obvious wasn't it?"

"Oh! So what was with the whole 'what do you do with a girlfriend' thing?

"Now just go before this stupid guy elopes with her!"

"And what do I do?"

"Snatch her out of his girlfriend-thieving hands!" Sam said pushing Mike off the stool almost making him stumble.

He walked up and tapped Fi on her shoulder. She turned around and seeing it was Michael broke out into a smile. "Hi what happened?"

"Uh…Fi I just…wanted to….um…can I…can you?...i mean can we…will you…you know what I'll be right back" Michael fled the scene leaving a totally confused Fi behind.

Walking up to the bar he was confronted by Jesse and Sam.

"What happened Mike Why are you back?"

"I…um"

"Wait…did she turn you down?" Sam said looking astonished.

"No I-

"Did she break up with you?" Sam asked again.

"NO!"

"She's two-timing you! I knew it! Look at your face! It's written all over it! That vixen-tongue left you for some weird broke mustached-guy! How did you let her go Mike! Crap! Why does this always happen to my buddy!" Sam rambled.

"Sam! Nothing of that sort happened!"

"Then why did you come back? Haven't you done this before?"

"Of course I have! I came back because I didn't ask her in the first place!"

"Why the hell did you do that?" Jesse asked.

"Because I…don't know how to!"

""Didn't you say you've done this before?" Jesse asked raising his eyebrows.

"With other women yeah! This is Fi!"

"So?"

"So how do I ask her without her shooting me?"

Sam was all ready to scream at him again when Jesse shut him up by saying "Sam! You're scaring this poor bloke! Let me handle the situation. See Mike, just walk up to Fi and tell her 'Fi could I please have a dance with you' see simple"

"Now go!" Sam yelled when Mike tried to take his time.

He walked up to Fi…again and tapped her on her back…again,

"Fi?"

"Yes Michael"

"Uh I just wanted to ask you…" he said awkwardly running his fingers through his hair a couple of times.

"Are you ok Michael? Why are you so tensed?"

"Ok….there's no easy way to get this done with….so…?"

"What?"

"Fi I really can't do this again….just say 'no' and get it done with."

"To what? Did Madeline blackmail you into marrying me? I'm not ready for this Michael!"

"No no no no no!" He said shaking his hands to emphasize the point.

"Then what?"

"Will you dance with me?" He said kicking the sand with his toes.

"Oh! That! Of course! I wanted you to ask me that from the starting!"

Michael gave an audible sigh of relief at which Fi laughed.

He led Fi to the middle of the imaginary dance floor. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he placed both hands on her hips. The rhythm was soft, crooning and sweet and it felt entirely right as they moved to it. One song led to another. As the next one became a fast paced song, they changed their body-tune entirely swinging fast. As Michael twirled Fi around he could hear her soft laugh and happiness soared through his chest like a high-flying eagle. They twisted, and turned and swayed and swung till time wasn't even a perspective anymore.

Finally leading an exuberant, tired Fi, Michael sat down next to Sam. A completely happy Sam.

"Oh my god! My heels hurt!" Fi said removing her sandals. "You're great Michael! We should dance more often! There's a club underneath the loft! If I knew you're such a great dancer…"

"Yeah let's not go speculating about living a life I don't know how to spell! But the occasional change is good"

Fi was going to say something when her mobile rang. "Uh I'll be right back"

She said walking quickly into the moonlit beach. Pacing around a few times, she walked in quick hurried steps taking no more than three at a time. Walking back to the group she said, looking visibly tensed "I think we'll need to move right now." She said looking around a few times.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"I'll explain…let's get out of the light." She said quickly walking away before they could ask her anything more. Three really confused guys followed her back to where she'd been pacing around a few seconds ago.

"Fi! What is going on?" Michael asked frustrated at the whole situation.

"Maria is in town" she said looking worriedly at Michael.

"Maria? Our Maria? The Ireland Maria?" Mike asked as Fi nodded.

"Wait a minute! Who is this Ireland 'your' Maria?"

"Maria McGrath, an old friend of mine." Fi said.

"Whoa! Maria McGrath? As in Ria?" Sam asked.

"You know her?" Fi asked surprised first looking at Sam and then at Michael.

"_You _know her?" Sam asked shocked, "She's my long lost best buddy!"

"How? I mean we all know her? Michael asked.

"Except me…" Jesse put in but he was conveniently ignored.

"It's a long story…"Sam said, "What about her though?"

"She's in Miami and she's in trouble."

_**Author's note: Extremely sorry for the delay! My exams were going on and I was just too preoccupied with math to sit and write. I finally posted it! Woo hoo! Please leave a review to let me know what you guys thought :) **_


	4. Chapter 4 Settling Down

"Maria? Are you talking about- Sam faltered.

"Of course!" Fi said looking around.

"Can someone please explain to me who we are talking about?" Jesse said emphatically.

But no one was paying attention to him, all lost in their own thoughts, they were staring out into different parts of the beach. Finally Mike woke up and, holding Fi by the shoulder, he turned her around to face him, looking straight at her he asked,

"How did the conversation go? Tell me word for word."

Fi took a deep breath and started…

"I picked up the phone and a voice said in a hushed manner 'Fi?' and I said 'Maybe. Who is this?' and the voice said 'Maria McGrath' and I was like 'Prove it! Tell me when was the last time you called me? And-

"What? She's just supposed to spout the day, date, time just like that?" Sam asked.

"The day was special alright? It was…was...It was Claire's death anniversary! We talked for hours." Fi turned away and continued…

"So anyway…she got the answer right and then she said 'Listen Fiona, I don't have a lot of time to talk but I'm in Miami and I am in deep trouble…with a capital 'T'! Look I need you guys right now alright! You gotta help me! Or I'm…dead! Please don't say no!' and I was like 'But what the hell happened?' But she said that she had no time right now and she was huffing and puffing as she talked and there were faint noises in the background. She asked me where I was, so naturally I told her the address and told her to look next to the beach around this party but she cut me short and said 'I don't think that's a good idea. Look, you keep an eye out for me, I'll Morse code you alright!" and I said 'I'll tell you directions on the phone' and she declined and said she's trashing it, and then I heard a loud noise and her shriek and the phone got cut…" Fi said looking very apprehensive by now.

Sam shook fists at everything while he cursed randomly. Jesse was just in a heightened sense of confusion and had given up asking and was just standing there with his hands in his pockets, staring at the three of them. Finally, Mike said,

"Well then…there's nothing much to do, let's spread out and keep a good eye on the left side. Jesse, you can read Morse right? So stay alert. Fi, did she say what she'd code to us?" Fi shook her head. "In that case, Sam, the extreme most left. Fi, between those artificial rocks and fake stream, Jesse you take from there to the clump of trees," Mike said pointing to several land marks as Fi, Sam and Jesse walked away. "Which leaves me to party in the direction of a clump of trees …Uh!" He said exhaling audibly, trudging into that direction. "_So much for a holiday!_"

*(*)*

Sam's phone rang ,it was Mike.

"Yeah Mike! Did you find her?" Sam said getting suddenly excited.

"No…I called you to see if anyone else did." said Mike's disappointed voice from the other end.

"And?"

"Nothing…" said Fi's voice.

"Nothing for me too." Sam dryly stated.

"Um guys…3 short blinks…3 long…3 short…3 long…O…S…S…O…S…

Damn it…guys…got her! SOS! She's here!" Jesse's voice boomed with excitement.

"Wait we're coming!" Sam yelled.

Rejoining Jesse, he pointed towards a light in the distance flashing in and off…

"See! There it is again! SOS! Let's go guys!" Jesse said setting the example by walking himself. They could vaguely make out a figure in the dark, but as they approached it, it moved right towards them and after flashing the light into each of their eyes, it sighed and whispered "Thank God!" Then faltering, it slowly started collapsing but Jesse who was closest caught hold of a hand and pulled the frail body towards him while sweeping one hand underneath the knees so that he could effortlessly lift the now dead weight.

"If this is her then, 1. She's light, 2. She's tired and 3. She's wet and she's wetting my T-shirt too!"

"What? What'ya mean wet? Sam said picking up the fallen flashlight and flashing it onto the comatose body in Jesse's arms

"Shit! Not good!" was all that came out of Sam's mouth. The rest couldn't even manage to say a word at the body that lay limp.

"Blood….mud…bruises…." Sam said stating the obvious.

"Damn it! No wonder her voice sounded weak over the phone….Um…Michael?...Michael!" Fi said suddenly yelling.

"Wh-..What?" Mike said looking shaken up.

"She's going into shock! She's lost quite a little bit of blood!" Fi said training the flashlight over her bluish and trembling lips.

"Ok! We need to move her _now_!" Sam said in a thick voice.

"Jesse's cottage is closest. Fi, keep a lookout on the right, Sam, your left…..I'll go forward. Jess! Move it!" Mike said taking charge.

"Ok looks like a 912 emergency anyway." Jesse said to no one.

They kept to the shadows as they moved, turning around a few times to see if they were being followed.

Sam, Fi and Mike all had guns drawn.

"Where did you hide yours Fi?" Sam asked tentatively.

"You really wanna know Sam?" Fi asked back suddenly grinning, to which Sam raised his hands in front of his face with a clearly repulsed look, while muttering "Oh no thank you!"

Jesse stood at the patio of his cottage and said "Well? Open it up somebody"

All the three of them looked at Mike so he shrugged and went up to the door, pausing halfway and walking back to stand in front of Jesse "Keycard?"

"In my right back pocket" Jesse said nudging that side.

Mike gingerly put his thumb and index finger into Jesse's pocket wincing…

"Oh just pull it out already! What's with the whole touchy-feely act!" Fi snarled in impatience.

Mike glanced at Sam who grimaced at him in a 'Just-do-it' sort of way.

Mike put his hand in and pulled the card out, opening the door, he switched the lights on and put the spare bed sheet on the bed. He folded it once to make sure that any blood that seeped through wouldn't go on the mattress.

Jesse gently laid the woman down and then stared at her, as he suspected she was really tall and really thin, had a mat of shoulder length softly curled hair, with a wheatish-brown skin tone she appeared definitely of Spanish origin. Yet McGrath wasn't a Spanish surname…This woman was an enigma Jesse had yet to figure out. All around him, people moved with a sense of purpose as Fi shut the curtains so that there was not even a chink through which anyone could see. Mike was filling hot water into a mysteriously large bowl and Sam was collecting the first-aid kit kept in every part of the resorts living facilities. Fi then dragged a side table up next to Maria, and then picking up a ribbon that was laid on the bouquet the housekeeping had laid out, She gingerly picked her head up to collect all her hair which she neatly tied in a high pony on top of her head. Fi stopped and put her head gently down, pale fear etched clearly on her face.

Sam and Mike came with their hands full of medical supplies and towels. Sam sat down right next to Maria and pulled up her drenched T-shirt to reveal a big congealment of clotted up blood and grime on the side of the stomach. All the four of them winced, they were no strangers to wounds but they were also no strangers to the repercussions wounds had. Sam quickly wiped all the blood off and then dipping another towel in the hot water mixed with antiseptic, he gently cleaned the entire area to see the damage done. When Sam was finished, they all moved towards the bed…

"That's an ugly-looking gash!" Fi said.

"Looks like a dagger…that's a boot knife….look at the size of the incision…it's long but not deep….this looks like a fleeting cut" Mike said pointing to different parts of the wound.

"So either she was running….or that's plain torture" Jesse said grimacing at the prospect of the second idea.

"Forget that. Look at this" Fi said lifting up one side of the skin.

"Indentation. But that's the wrong side! Isn't her skin supposed to scallop on only one side?" Jesse asked dubiously.

"That's my point! It's a double-sided dagger….this is not torture…..this was pure maim and kill!" Fi snapped angrily.

Sam gulped and taking the antiseptic bottle, he said "Well at least they didn't intend for her to get tetanus…the cut looks clean. Not something you'll exactly expect from a rusty blade, would you?"

Sam picked up the bottle and looking repulsed, he poured antiseptic along the length of the gash. Even in her state of unconsciousness, Maria gasped and winced in pain. As she tried to turn back away from Sam, Sam gently put one hand in front of her so that even though she was lying on her side now, she couldn't turn away from him. Sam wiped up the antiseptic that was now dripping down her stomach and onto the bed sheet. Sam didn't like doing this to his friend…but there wouldn't be much of a friend left if this wound got septic and infected her stomach and intestinal region.

"Sam couldn't you be a little more gentle?" Fi said darkly.

"I could be but the gentleness would kill her!" Sam said irritably.

"I'm just saying…you didn't have to stick the antiseptic bottle down her wound to make sure it wasn't 'septic'!" Fi said indignantly.

"Fi I don't need someone to tell me what I need to do and what I don't" Sam said quietly.

Sensing the dangerous edge in Sam's voice, Mike quickly intervened, "OK guys! I get it. You're all concerned about her health but I'm pretty sure she'll be fine and try not to kill each other! We don't need any more bodies"

Both Fi and Sam dropped their thread of conversation and Sam went back to concentrating on the now clean wound.

"Do you think it needs stitches?" Fi asked suddenly.

"I don't think so. I'd be doing more damage trying to collect skin to join together than just leaving it alone. Of course not having stitches means, we'll have to change the gauze a lot more" Sam said seriously.

"I guess that's just another obstacle we have to get over isn't it?" Jesse said.

"She does look fine otherwise…just a little pale…. But nothing a good breakfast won't cure. What do you think?" Fi said nodding gently at Maria first and then looking at Sam knowing fully well that not only did he have the expertise, he also had the sense to not break bad news in the most horrible way possible.

Sam looked at her and gave her a quiet nod and a small smile adding, "I think she has improved beyond all recognition. And looks like the antiseptic has done her good. Look her color is getting back! Trust me, she'll be her crazy-self again tomorrow" Sam said breaking out into an enthusiastic smile.

Fi beamed at him and sat on the chair. "Wow she gave me a shock! But guess what? I feel so much better now! I think a little too joyful actually" but apparently the toll of being happy lay too much on her because the next thing she knew, she had invested all her energy in stifling her yawns.

This hadn't gone unnoticed as Jesse gave a monster-sized yawn next. Even Sam had to yawn.

"Ok we'll take cue from that…." Mike said looking at his watch. "Guess what guys its already 12. Can we please disperse to our own rooms now?"

No one seemed to grumble as Fi slowly pulled herself up on her feet and walked up to him stretching. Jesse nodded but then stopped.

"What do we do about her?"

Sam sighed loudly and dropped his head, shaking it slowly.

"First of all she needs dry, clean clothes. Fi think you can spare a set of-

"I'm on it" Fi said walking out of the door.

Sam briskly asked Jesse "Though there is no chance that something bad should happen to her now…I wanna be on the safer side. Jesse do you think you can wake up in another 3 hours or so? Just to check out if her pulse and temperature is fine. I think we should move out of this place early tomorrow. We don't know who might have seen her in this bed-rag state" The last sentence was directed to Mike.

There was quiet consensus among the three men. Jesse said, "Don't worry buddy. I can see just how important she is to the three of you… you and Fi especially….Uh you mind telling me some time later why?"

Sam nodded as a reluctant grin spread over his face.

"Since that is fixed…where's Fi?" Mike said looking out of the window "Ah there she is"

Fi came sweeping in, her hands full of clothes. "I thought she would like a choice….Blue and green have always been her favorite color but I couldn't choose! What do you think looks good on her?" she said angling pairs of clothes on her to see some non-existent contrast.

"I'm sure she'd love to say Fi but what can we do? The poor woman is unconscious. But I'm sure she'd be mortified to know she wore red"

"HA-HA" said Fi sarcastically.

Finally making a decision with a light green tank top and a pair of denim blue shorts, she said "Help me lift her up...and don't peek!"

Sam walked up to her and lifting Maria up so that she was in a sitting position he looked away and screwed his eyes shut as the others turned and shielded their eyes with their hands. Fi deftly pulled out her dirty shirt putting on the clean one and then unbuttoning the jeans she pulled them off her best friend's legs…

This procedure over, Fi stood up and away…

Sam in the meanwhile picked Maria up as Jesse removed the soiled bed sheet from underneath her, propping two pillows, he pulled out the blanket as Sam settled her back comfortably.

Mike then helped Jesse pull out the second bed kept as an attachment underneath the mainframe. Jesse sat on the bed… "It's a little low for me…let's hope it's long enough…" Jesse looked a little comical sitting on a bed a little too low for his stature. If Mike, Sam and Fi hadn't been so tired they'd have started laughing at the absurdness of the situation.

Sam yawned loudly "Nighty night time for supremely smart, smashingly sensational, still superbly sleepy Sammy" he said waving a half-assed goodbye to the three of them.

Fi picked up the rest of her clothes in one hand and said "Good night Jesse" walking out of the door…

"Uh guess that just leaves me huh?." Mike said awkwardly switching off the light as he added "...G'night!" and quickly shut the door behind him.

Catching up to Fi he said "Feeling sleepy?"

"Me? Nah!"

"Uh…you were yawning back there."

"Mock mock!" She said hooking her arm into his and moving closer, "I'm not sleepy at all! I'm just ready to get busy!" she added seductively. Michael looked at her and vaguely added "Doesn't having an injured childhood friend change things a little bit?"

"On the contrary, you forgot to mention that it was childhood friend who is very much mended and happily fine" Fi said raising her eyebrows at him.

"Still…"

Fi stopped suddenly looking annoyed. Turning around to face him "Are you telling me you're giving up on _this_? This?" she said pointing up and down her body. "Fine" she said stalking off into their cottage her hips swaying behind her.

"B-but…I never said that! I was just trying to be…..considerate….Fi! come back!" Mike said slightly desperately. He walked behind her looking like a lost five year old.

She had already changed and her clothes were strewn on the floor, she had taken the blanket up to her chin and she had turned herself away from him…

"umm…Fi! I never said that…I was just…trying to look a lot more humane…I'm sorry…is.." he said clearing his throat a few times before continuing "…is…the offer…you know…still open?"

At this Fi turned around and looking up at him she gave her biggest smile and said, "you really need lessons on when to be a human and when to be a…a cannibal" she said a wicked twinkle in her eyes.

"But I am damned if you are getting even next to me looking like that ."

Michael looked at himself and then looking at her asked, "What's wrong with me?"

Fi looked as though she was restraining herself from rolling her eyes with extreme difficulty…

"You've got sand on you…another woman's blood…not to mention my best friend's…and you look like a wreck…"

"What about you?"

"I cleaned up."

"this fast?"

"Yup! with such a good offer up to grabs…go now!"

Mike rushed into the bathroom…she was a funny woman like that but hey! Who was he to be fussy right? Cleaning up at double the normal speed he came out of the bathroom…

"What the-

Fi was sleeping all lopsided on the bed…she had the blanket slipping down till her waist so he could see the lacy excuse of a night dress she had worn…she looked…_alluring_. Her hair was falling over her shoulders and she had a serene expression on her face yet there was a small little natural pout that was always on her lips that he found extremely attractive …..she definitely looked irresistible but also a little uncomfortable. She had put both her hands at extremely awkward looking positions but she slept deeply oblivious to that…

He laughed softly as he padded up to the bed, she was sleeping half-sitting up and her neck was at an odd place. He slipped his hands under the blanket, and gently lifted her to lay her down in a more comfortable position. Then walking to his side of the bed, he slipped in… taking a deep breath he lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. '_Funny how I was sleepy in the morning and she is now…'_ he thought to himself as Fi sighed beside him.

He turned his head to look at her and was still staring when Fi suddenly shuddered and turned towards him. She draped her arm around his neck…maybe a little too high…he smiled as he put her arm a little lower. She immediately put her other hand next to his…taking the cue he put his arm under her supporting her back…She moved impossibly closer, almost on top of him, her warm breath tickling his neck. Michael just smiled and pulled her closer by putting both his arms around her.


	5. Chapter 5 Some answers at last!

Jesse woke up as a small ray of light hit his eyes. Murmuring indistinctly, he stretched and emerged from the tangle of blankets that covered him. Groggily, he yawned and fumbled around for his mobile phone. Finding it, he turned it on, and squinted to clear out his fogged-up vision. He had 3 messages to greet him good morning. Checking the time to see just how badly late he was that he had to be woken up from sleep by 3 messages, he realized that it was just 8:30. Feeling a tad irritated, he checked the messages out…

_Good morning buddy_

_No need to get up, I was just awake doing absolutely nothing when I realized that I'd forgotten to tell you…Ria is a horrible patient. She's worse than Mike n Fi put together. She HATES being caught up in bed- arrest. When she wakes up, call me ASAP! _

_Sam_

_5:23 AM_

"Just awake? When did he ever sleep? 5:23 Am…who texts at 5:23 AM anyway?" said Jesse groggily. He checked the next one from Mike…

_Hey Jess_

_We just wanted to tell you that Maria is a terrible patient and she's worse than Fi. Don't ever mistake her to be your story book 'damsel in distress'…she's as scary as Fi, and then some…She does a lot of emotional torture like Fi and like Fi she's very inconsiderate about the care-giver's problems (Fi can't see what I'm texting) Call us as soon as she wakes up._

_Mike and Fi_

_6:18 AM_

For a second Jesse freaked out…How the hell was Fi fine with whatever Mike was saying….that was until he read that Mike had somehow escaped…

"Onto the third" sighed Jesse.

_Good morning Jesse_

_Michael had already sent the message before I could add this…and then he deleted it so I couldn't edit it either…anyway I need to say…Ria is not a great person to have under bed-rest so if the drama doesn't work, she'll try to get you away from her using some excuse…so if she wakes up…don't go anywhere, don't sleep, don't eat, don't pee, don't do anything that will you lose sight of her cos if she gets out of bed she won't come back in…_

_Call us and have fun :)_

_Fi_

_6:22AM_

"Does she have any idea…both Sam and Mike think the exact same thing about her…" Jesse said mildly amused. Jesse quietly stood up and crept up to the sleeping Maria. He checked her to see if she was asleep, and tiptoed to the bathroom to relieve himself, before she woke up.

*(*)*(*)*(*)*

Sam walked into Jesse's cottage to see Fi, Mike and Jesse munching on gourmet sandwiches and exotic-looking glasses of juice. Though Sam could still see remnants of huge glasses of coffee on the table.

"Hello! Is she up yet?" Sam said looking at the bedroom.

" decided against waking her up till we reach Maddie's 'cos the trip might be traumatic for her" said Jesse but then catching Sam's eye added "Or I'm just saying."

"Ok so if there's anything left for me…can I munch at it before we leave? 'Cos I'm starving and since this holiday's pretty much over…" Sam ended awkwardly.

Snatching a sandwich Mike had picked up for himself Sam started chomping it. He lunged for Fi's but she slapped his hand away. Grabbing the sandwich Jesse was aiming to eat, he said "You know what's better than eating measly gourmet sandwiches? Snatching the exact ones you want!"

After snacking, Sam excused himself to go get them checked out.

Fi was going to walk out saying "I'll go pack our bags." When Jesse stopped her by asking "Why do you have to pack it?"

"Because Jesse when you unpack it you remove the clothes out of it and when you pack it, generally you really want to put your clothes back in."

"We came for one day! Why to unpack it in the first place"

"Then how do you get your clothes?"

"Uh…by digging your hands in? Feeling around for it…pulling it out and wearing it?"

"Oh my god! You men!" she said shaking her head and walking out.

Jesse looked at Mike as Mike quickly spoke "Don't ask me. I let her do all the planning and un-planning, deciding and un-deciding"

Jesse still continued the 'what-are-you-doing-with-your-life' look so Mike excused himself by saying "I need to like call up my mom…you know bring her abreast with the facts and…I'll go right now…"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know…wait for Sam. He'll tell you how to get Ria to the cars." Mike said shutting the door behind him making for the beach because conversations like this demanded soothing natural environmental sounds.

"Michael! How are you honey! How's the vacation? You having fun? I always tell you that you need to get out and away from all those bad things Michael!" Maddie yelled through the phone.

"Yeah Mom…about that…" Michael said keeping the phone a few inches away from his ear, "It's kinda cut short now."

"Cut-short? What for?"

"Uh…something…sorry _somebody_ came up…an old friend of ours…she's just come over and its kinda on a short notice so she might have to stay…at your place" Michael said pausing to form the most appropriate way of putting Ria's party-crashing into consideration.

"An old friend of yours?" she asked sarcastically.

"uh…yeah something like that"

"When are you going to tell me things properly Michael!"

"Soon! Mom….please can she stay? She's really in a need for a place and it's just not the right time for her to go and check into a motel…"

"Of course she can stay Michael….if she's just not as crazy…"

"No mom! She's just like Fi…you'll love her"

"So she's a friend of Fiona's too?"

"Yes mom. Can I explain all this to you when I come there?"

"Yes Michael. I hope you've not killed her or somebody else is trying to.."

"Seriously mom? I have no idea…" Mike said killing the call as he walked back towards his cottage.

*(*)*

There was a sleeping woman lying in the guest room of Maddie's house as five people stood around the bed looking at her.

"Well? Wake her up somebody" Madeline said after waiting around for a long time.

Everybody looked a little scared at the idea of finally waking her up. Madeline huffed in impatience and picked up her cigarette and lighter from inside her cupboard…

"Mom don't! Don't smoke!" Michael said snatching the cigarette out of her hand "Please! She's sick…as you can see!"

"Don't go like that on me! I can see she's wounded! Something you failed to mention!"

"Guys guys….I'm gonna wake her up now…best case scenario…everything goes fine. Worst… she's in deep pain or something. So hold on" Fi said, a state of tension and worry settling over her again. Inching closer to Maria, she sat down on the bed next to her and shook her lightly so as to wake her up.

Maria moaned a few times and rolled over a little and mumbled something incoherently, but Fi didn't give up and shook her a little more strongly this time.

Suddenly two eyelids parted lightly to show a chink of grey eyes. Finally she grumbled and mumbled something and rubbing her eyes a few times before sitting up slightly and opening her eyes clearly, showing her big grey irises.

"Ouch…Ow that hurt…Um….what? where….hello?" she said looking thoroughly confused.

"Maria its Ok. It's me Fi. We'll look after you now" Fi said passing her a glass of water.

Maria took the glass thankfully and drained it in no time. "I can't believe I've not eaten or drunk for so long….I had forgotten the taste of water" she said laughing mirthlessly at the last one.

"Who the hell-

"How the-

"What the hell happened-

Jesse, Sam and Mike simultaneously started but stopped seeing that Maria was clearly paying too much attention. She was squinting her eyes at the gap between Madeline and Sam… Shaking her head she gave up, looking at Fi helplessly "I can't see!"

"What something happened to your eyes?" Madeline asked looking really afraid.

"Yeah…I lost my….contact lenses!"

"Cont- of course" Sam said holding the bridge of his nose.

"I lost it somewhere….What do I do? I can't see Fi! The voices sound familiar but the faces are all slightly hazed out"

Fi started laughing seeing Maria look like a lost puppy with a broken foot. "Wait I'll help you"

"I'm Fiona. Can you see me?"

"Of course I can! I'm not blind! I can see them too but not that clearly."

"Ok then…guys you might wanna come up and introduce yourselves"

Michael was the nearest so he moved in first. Coming into what he assumed was her comfortable line of vision, he said "I'm Michael, remember?"

"Of course who can forget you! Fiona's one and only!"

"Hi babe!" Sam said coming close to her.

"Sam! Boozy!" she said excitedly.

"Ahem! I'm Jesse…you don't know me but they do"

"Ah I heard about you. Kinda did a background check on all of you guys before coming here…and an underground world check too…that's why I came to know about the _illegal_ _details._"

"Of course. You never leave a single detail out do you?" Sam asked.

"Of course not! I'm little miss know-it-all!"

"and…um I'm Michael's mother, Madeline!"

"Oh hello. I'm Maria McGrath, I'm Fi's childhood friend"

"Ria? How the hell do you know Mike and Fi both?" Sam asked.

"Oh it's a long story….you might wanna sit down"

Everyone immediately sat down because none of them really knew the whole story.

"It all started out when I came out of my mother's womb, all bloody and idiotic-looking. Now all of you will ask '_Hey Maria! What's with the name?_' to which I'll answer '_my mum was Spanish'_

Hence 'Maria'. My dad was Irish, hence 'McGrath' which is a very common Irish surname. My mom was an exchange student from Colombia and one silly blunder led to me. Anyway my dad acted noble and married her, a decision they both regretted till the day my mom died-

"She's dead?" Fi asked looking horrified.

"Yeah she is…I'll come to it. So as I was saying, they were _profoundly unhappy_. And turns out real estate at that time was at its all-time low. So… basically my dad could afford a really big house. I had neighbors, the Glenannes. And that is how I know Fi, because I lived next to her all my childhood, nearly twenty-one years. So since my parents were so happy with each other, many nights I'd climb out of my window, onto a tree next to it, which kinda led into Fi's window too. Anyway my parents didn't mind cos they didn't know about it and because we were truly only a family when we were with them. Anyway I tried to get into the IRA like Fi, only they knocked me out, because I was only half Irish. So I got pissed, and I left for America. Soon my parents followed. So they settled down with me in West Virginia. I'm already scrambling for money when my mom was diagnosed with second-stage Cancer-

Fi sucked a long breath in as she found Maria's hand and held onto it.

"Oh don't feel sad Fi, it was a long time ago…plus what happened next is actually more unnerving. Anyway my dad is finally free….and he's absolutely overjoyed about it! Back in the market, he tried to loop in the 20-year olds, failed, tried 30s, flunked, tried 40s and even they turned out to be too much in character for him. So basically then he realized, just how awesome my mum was about him and how much she bore him. Hey! But the dead don't come back to life right? So he goes into a total tailspin and becomes this _druggie_."

"Yeah that bastard!" Sam sweared.

"Yeah yeah…we've given him our share of abuses Sam. And this is where my super-hero Sam comes in place! So I'm down in the dumps and I take up a job as an underdog to an arms dealer. Big-time guy. Little too pompous! Anyway he cuts it to close to the vest and the SEALs come in to investigate. That's where our favorite SEAL comes in charge! Lieutenant Sam Axe! He's all guns and fire so he tracks down the shady area in which I live but comes to know that the neighbors here stand up for each other very well. So he gets nothing and he's depressed so he's walking down the street kicking a tin can when he kicks it next to my feet. Long story short, we play muted football….tin- ball…till I don't know… an hour?.. and then we come to know each other pretty well. And I tell him about all my worries including my father draining my account, my stupid boss, and my desire to go back to Ireland, because that's the only place I was truly happy. Little did I know that Sam was in charge of getting my boss down. So anyway the next day he takes sanctioned leave for 2 months and comes back to tell me that he was previously in charge of the case but now he's not. So he was gonna help me survive my boss and the SEALs, haul my dad's ass to rehab and help me get back to Ireland. Anyway true to his word, he does all that and more, except of course….my dad. The minute Sam went back to service, my dad stopped going to narcotic's anonymous and went back to his druggie ways. So I made the most difficult decision of my life…I picked my dad out and dropped him in front of a great rehab center. Gave him 3 week's worth of money, and told him…that it was do or die, that he'd have to stop living off me for all the wrong reasons, and would have to get himself a decent job. I know you guys will think I'm this evil bitch to leave my dad with 3 weeks worth of allowance and go…but _please_…" Maria suddenly said, her voice would have been barely audible had it not been for the fact that there was pitch dead silence in the room "_understand…_all my life I acted like my dad wasn't the shallow character he was…I acted like my mom wasn't _painfully _weak, spined to bear him, but then I watched Sam stand _everyday_ on the doorstep waiting for me to open the door…I saw him _haul…_literally haul my dad's sorry ass to Narcotics anonymous every single day! Then he helped me to get away from his own organization…since the SEALs were still investigating further… and after he left, it became difficult for me to…to act like my dad was normal. So 2 years later I did what I had to… to survive." She looked a little defeated when she was done with this her speech but she took a long deep breath and went on…

"Well I moved to Dublin after that to see my old neighbors and thankfully for me Aunt Irene, that is Fi's mom, was still there and she told me how to reach Fi, so after a _very _happy reunion I started living next to her and took part in her part-time arms dealing trade. We were like partners-in-crime and I did all the tedious work 'cos this wasn't the only job Fi had unlike me, so while things are going good for me again…a certain _Mr. McBride_ entered Fi's life…so he entered mine too. At first I _hated_ him…he was stealing Fi away from me. We rarely had any 'hot-chocolate-infused-girlfriend-nights' anymore. Moreover I always felt there was something fishy about him. So…I" she grinned at this part and picking up her glass, asked Michael "Do _you_ wanna say the next bit?" before drinking the water herself leaving the question quite moot.

Michael shot her a nasty glare before speaking, addressing the whole thing to Fi, "Uh…about 2-3 months after I met you and we-

"No no! One month, 3 weeks, 2 days, 13 hours, 23 minutes and 5 seconds…what? I have photographic memory" Maria said as all the 4 of them stared at her.

"Yeah whatever she said…later at some odd time of 3, she knocked at my door and told me that she knew I'm not Michael McBride, she didn't know who I was ,'cos government is good at hiding real identities…but she was certain I'm not who I said I was."

"What?" Fi yelled "and you never thought of _telling_ me?"

"Calm down Fi…Anyway, so he gives me a long….boring lecture about how he's a dangerous man who does dangerous things and how men like him have few friends and butt loads of nasty enemies and how….Ok this part is hilarious so listen up….. '_Anyone I touch is tainted for life_'" she said imitating Mike's voice. "and I felt like laughing so hard…cos all you guys seemed to be doing was related to touching and tainting so the line was so stupidly apt!"

"Touché" Mike grunted.

"So these parts kinda kick….uh… ok so I believed him cos I realized he was the best and only guy Fi had been this happy with…and …I can see the both of you going red so I'll skip this bit….anyway I stayed with her through the thick and thin of their relationship and I built _quite_ a rapport with Mike. So when you left her, she was so heartbroken that she decided to shift to New York in the next 6 weeks. I felt so lost after you left Fi, I lost all interest in our business, cos I wasn't a loner, I was a social animal you know….so I let everything go. That's when your mom gave me an idea of going to Britain and joining Danny." At seeing that the only two people who understood what she was saying were Mike and Fi, she added explaining "Daniel is Fi's elder brother by a year and a half and he's an arms dealer, quite a renowned one in England. He was also one of my favorite bros of all times. So I thought about it and then he himself called, just to ask about you Fi, in detail and then to offer me the partnership in his deal. Of course I said yes as you know" she said to Fi "cos I maintained contact with you till you left NYC. So I was really happy until now 'cos things are going for me you know…and then Danny said 'wanna do a little expanding?' and I was like 'how much more? We practically own the arms black market here in Europe' and he was like 'no we don't officially own it, if we did you and I would be behind the Queen's bars but we do own a lot of the guys who run our businesses for us…lots of underdogs' and I said 'I know that! I helped build some of it remember, just get to the point' and he said 'Go to America! Start it up there! We have bases everywhere except in the US! Come on!' and after so much of him sucking up to me I agreed and then I found myself in New York again. I tried finding you Fi but you were gone so I set up shop there and things were going good…"

Maria ended suddenly looking very pale, a bad pallid color of grey and once again she looked sunken in and sallow like when she had fainted on the beach.

Mike took one look at her and turning to his dumbstruck mother, said "Ma, Maria has had some really long and tiring few days and she looks like she could use the refreshments" nodding at her in a meaningful way. "Ria, would you like something? Nothing fancy I'll have to admit but…"

Maria looked up at him looked clearly relieved. "At this point I can have a garbage bag and it'll feel like _foie gras_. so doesn't matter…" she gave him the most convincing interpretation of a grin.

"What would you like honey? Will a sandwich do? Any filling you like and I'm afraid you'll only get tea, coffee, iced tea or some juice or the other. And since I'm in charge of getting you fit and running again, I won't let you have anything alcoholic just yet." Maddie said putting on her 'concerned parent' attire.

"Thank you so much…um if its not a lot of trouble could I have a peanut-butter and jam sandwich and a glass of iced tea would be perfect" Maria said looking a little apologetic.

"Oh that's all? I always stock up on both peanut butter and jam 'cos of Sam , he keeps _snorting_ those down." Maddie said looking at Sam comically before walking out.

While Maddie got some breakfast for Maria, Sam redressed her wounds. She was fuming when Maddie came back holding a tray. "I'm sorry honey, I couldn't find a vase to put this daisy in…so I laid it straight on your tray."

"Oh that's ok…trust me" she said eagerly grabbing onto her sandwich and stuffing it into her mouth, hardly chewing it at all. Then she gulped her iced tea a few times before looking up, "Sorry I know I look like an ogre but I'm starving. Not had anything for days."

"Yeah about that…why the hell ever not?" Fi asked looking annoyed.

"'Cos I'm in deep shit!"

"How so?" Mike asked.

"I've got a cartel behind me…to be precise….2 cartels…"

"WHAT?" Sam yelled.

"I'm sorry, What?" Fi said angrily.

"Wow!" Jesse said dumbstruck.

"How the hell did you manage to piss off 2 cartels?" Mike said in complete shock.

"Hold on! Hold on…I'll tell you. Wait for that…we gotta back up to the part in the story when I was talking about Dan. See you know we are in arms dealing right? And you know what type too right?" but when everybody but Fi looked at her like she was talking about astrophysics, she had to explain… "Look…there are basically two types of arms dealing…the one-way street, the one in which we either buy or sell…like Fi only buys…or there's a two-way street in which you buy and sell…and since this is not artwork and there are really no fences for this job…we gotta fence the guns ourselves. So basically it's a long-assed process, which means you got to keep your clients happy long time or they're gonna cut you off. It also means setting up bases in many countries 'cos sometimes you gotta reroute the shipment a few times so that the cops are off it. There's competition, distrust…its all like malignant diseases. So anyway…as I was saying long-ass process. Between me and Dan, we practically know all the languages in Europe and a few here and there…its kinda important, because we don't directly run our business but have local people do it for us…so we go to lands… we know the language of, and we've got these tours you know…so when I agreed to got to America…Danny said he was gonna get bored so he'd go to Scotland to do a little check…you know our revenues are dipping down from that side so…anyway he left 2 weeks earlier than me…because place needed a lot of clean-up. After he left I got a message from one of our dealers up in Lancashire, he said that there was this rival group that was causing a little too much trouble…and so I went down there to investigate…they were a little too much 'in my face' alright?" she said trying to put a self justifying note in her voice.

"What did you do? You blew them up didn't you?" Sam asked looking really tired.

"Yeah I didn't quite just blow them up….I interchanged their expensive firepower with cheaper ones and generally just…you know rerouted their shipment to the other corner of the globe…_and_ stole their client."

"Nice move" Fi said approvingly.

"Nice move? Are you kidding! Nice way to get yourself dead I suppose!" Sam exclaimed.

"What it's standard technique…anyway turns out they are dumb and hot-headed so they bomb up our _frickin' base_! Can you believe that? I was wild! So I stole their entire clientele…one way or the other. And I left them in a depraved state and made my way to New York…there I'm targeted by another group…after doing some digging around, I realized that I had messed up the baby-organization to the _big_ New York one. I mean look at my luck! I sabotaged a fledgling arms group and got out of Britain only to come embrace the big, huge New York one. I was freaked out…I mean in Europe, where I've got the pull…both these cartels would look like gravel, but in the US they look like boulders! So before the baby could rat out to its Momma, I figured I had a head-start…and since going back to England was out of the question… and I didn't know anybody really in NYC…I just thought of you guys… 'cos you're the only people in America that I know and I know you guys really well. So I headed off to Miami but on the way, I did a little poking around in your past to find out what you guys had been up to and trust me…is the underworld the best place for this sorta thing! I stashed myself in a motel, and kept my head low…I was coming to find you guys yesterday and I was driving some stolen car with good horsepower…when all of a sudden all these cartel guys jumped out of nowhere and started pursuing me…thank god as an extra precaution, I'd hacked into the telephone systems and found out your phone number...and that's how I gave you a call, Fi and the car's GPS system turned out to be a real blessing…but it was a standout-ish car…so I had to stash it…and make the rest of the journey on foot."

"How did you get the wound? I can even see new skin over bruises." Sam asked her.

"the recent one, I got while I was running away from them on foot…and the old ones are….combat marks from Britain and mostly New York…so its pretty clear right now right?"

"Hold on….are you telling me you bombed up a rival British cartel, came to New York to find out the main branch was here, and then escaped away to Miami because you happened to know Mike, Fi _and _ Sam who just happened to all be in Miami?" Jesse asked sounding flabbergasted.

"Fine! Do a background check on me. Are you guys gonna help me or what?" Maria asked pouting.

_Maria_

_Michael, Fiona and Sam's old friend_

_A.K.A The client_

The answer was pretty clear on everyone's faces.

"We'll see what we can do."

_**Author's note: Ok guys… I know this is probably the longest chapter ever committed to the history of burn notice fanfiction :P but I hope it was worth the wait I put you all through…and I hope I explained the situation….don't worry I shall elaborate a bit more in the later chapters. I try to get my information right so all guns and weapons and explosives and other scientific or general material has all been googled upon so that nothing I give you is wrong…**_

_**Please review**_


	6. Chapter 6 On with the plot

**_Author's note: All of you guys, thanks for your sterling comments. Really made my day!:)_**

**_For all those of you who could survive the last chapter's length and still long enough to read and then review this chapter? Kudos! Well it's certainly very gratifying to know that you guys understand Maria enough…so, to quote my chapter's name; On with the plot!_**

Mike sat at his mom's dining table with Jesse and Sam. Not a lot of words were exchanged between the both of them but much ran on their minds.

Jesse looked up a few times as if to say something but refrained from doing so. Mike followed his actions with his eyes a few times before finally asking "Jesse something is on your mind. Might as well tell me…"

"Nothing really…it's just…Maria completely skipped the whole wound issue. As in who waves away wounds that odd? That too so easily?"

"Ah it's nothing!" he said waving it off "Ria's not a sympathy-binger as such…And I'm sure she won't wanna speak about something that is keeping her in bed so long."

"Oh! Come on! You can't be trying to feed me _that_! You told me she's a weapons expert and we all know that was one rare knife! So are you telling me she didn't notice? 'cos I as hell ain't believing_ that_!"

"Jesse, look she must have been freaked out…scared or more likely desperate to get out! Stop it  
>Jess, she's quite fine." Mike said looking absolute on the topic.<p>

Jesse sat looking obstinate for a short while, after which he stated again "And what about her accent? Huh? The woman speaks without even the _faintest_ whiff of Brit in it! Impossible on such short notice!"

"What are you talking about? Maria lived in America remember? And moreover she can put on an accent as she likes, Fi did it once upon a time. What? You thought she just started out from the very beginning with an American accent?"

"Fine! But don't tell me Fi's accent became suddenly picture-perfect the minute she put it on! It takes a while to get used to accents!" Jesse said defiantly.

"Oh! It does! But not a lot when you have practice," a voice said from the corridor and as Mike turned around he could feel Jesse turn a fairly deep crimson color. Behind them stood Ria, Maddie and Fi looking a little cross. Ria was still squinting in an effort to see the both of them clearly, but she made her way fine to the table as she continued,

"Look, it's unfair to compare me to Fi! Our circumstances are different! For starters, Fi hasn't moved out of Miami in 5 years, I visit places every 3 months. Then, all her clients, dealers etc all know English, mine don't; many don't. Lastly, I know more languages than her! Yeah Fi…don't give me a look! I have glasses doesn't mean I'm blind!"

"When did you come back? I thought you went for a bath?" Mike asked looking surprised.

"I did…I'm done now." She said stretching every syllable, "Anyway I need to clear this out for once and for all. I work international alright? So between me and Dan we know 15 languages approximately. 5 of which we both know and 5 each left which is indigenous to each on us. Individually I know: Spanish, French, Italian, Danish and Polish. Danny knows: Scottish, German, Mandarin, Portuguese and Russian. And together we both know: Arabic, Irish, Turkish and 3 accents of English; American, British and Australian! There! Now you can see why it's so easy for me to switch between languages?"

Everyone stared at her open-mouthed as she reeled this off on the tips of her fingers. No one stopped after she did either. She gave them a sympathetic smile and waited for the effect to wane off them. When it finally did, Mike asked, "That's all fine Ria, but it still doesn't exempt you from not talking about your wound."

"Ria, Michael's right! A _double_ edged boot knife! That's the stuff villains in movies stick into heroes right before intermission. That's dangerous stuff! Double-edged too.."

"Yeah a double-edged blade, pure-grade steel, a mahogany handle….with a 3 cm divide between the blade and the handle made of 60% polystyrene, and 40% silicon. The handle is hollow, when you put too much direct force, the divide breaks and the blade slips into the handle not letting it completely immerse into the body…so it can't kill."

"How…how do you know all this?" Fi falteringly asked.

"I know it 'cos it was a part of my custom-made set-off."

Fi looked horrified, the sheer look of disbelief that was cast all over her face mirrored into a sharp contrast at Ria's utter dismay and shame.

"No…" was all Fi could manage for very long. A few seconds too late, she added "that's supposed to be the safest."

"Hold on…what's a set-off?" Maddie finally asked.

"It's…it's a term used in arms-dealing. When we make a new base camp we get goods with us, generally too expensive or rare and never ever guns! These goods are then sold out into the open black-market…a rather risky thing to do, it's supposed to be an indicator of business. But there's also a superstition surrounding set-offs…if a set-off is stolen, sabotaged, damaged…anything, it's considered to be unlucky and you're supposed to split from there and never sell around there again… 'cos otherwise bad luck will ensue." Fi said with cold dismay running through her.

"So you acted like Ria had pulled Obama's underpants off because of a stupid superstition?" Sam exclaimed in surprise showing the action of pulling someone's underpants off.

"Oh but that's just a story evolving around the real fact." Maria snapped in anger. "Traditionally, your set-off is supposed to be kept in the Fort Knox of your base. The fact that they got their paws on it means the whole base is infiltrated…so technically, you can no longer deal from there. Now in my base, I also had a few pages worth of personal info….including Danny's contact…"

Now the shock was shared by all. Maria was devastated as she said, "Now Danny will be _so_ mad at me! He was going to come to know anyway, but now he'll come to know sooner…and then he'll leave Scotland and if he sees me like this …..he'll kill me! Oh my god! What do I do? What do I do?" Maria said hyperventilating.

"Calm down Ria! You know Daniel, he's not gonna be like that" Fi said trying to soothe the frightened woman.

"Know him? Know him! Are you kidding me? He will KILL me!"

Sam gave a look of utter disgust and frustration and said curtly, first to Fi and then to Maria. "I'm sorry. No offence. But what sort of bastard thinks of screaming at his partner when she's in peril? I mean…what a spineless worm!"

"Uh…offence taken! My brother isn't like that at all…in fact he's a big softie!-

"Um…I don't think soft & Glenanne come in the same sentence and end up positively Fi!" Sam said.

"Then you clearly haven't met my brother's-

"I've met one! And boy! Was he soft!"

"But that's 'cos it's Sean! He's made of a different type of cell altogether." Fi said.

"Yeah, she's right. All through childhood, Sean was like this typical, chauvinistic '_male animal_'. Danny isn't like that. He'll kill me if he knows that I tried to handle all these _problems_ without him. He'll be madder if he comes to know, I'm wounded and I didn't call. Kinda attached to me like that." Maria ended.

Mike caught Fi's eye at the end of Maria's vote of sympathy and gave her the 'what's-going-on?' look to which she gave him her 'I'll-tell-you-later' look. Apparently Mike wasn't the only one who found this whole approach shady. Sam raised his eyebrows a good 2-inches at Maria before asking "Are you missing something out Maria?"

Fi winced and glared at Sam but Maria oblivious to all just said "No nothing at all…why?"

Mike and Sam both stared at her, she _really_ had no idea. Sam quietly shook his head and the topic was dropped much to Fi's relief

"I still need my stuff…I can't see without my specs and unfortunately I lost my contacts…I have both but they are in my bag."

Fi said, "Where is your bag?"

"It's at 'Surf 'n' Turf Motel' and I…" she said putting on a royal British accent, "Stay at the imperial 'seashell' room up on the 3rd floor."

Sam laughed and said "Jesse do you mind getting her stuff? I would have gone but I'm gonna have to make a much procrastinated visit to the much-ignored cop buddies. I need to find out what the hell is going on…"

Jesse nodded as he scribbled the address on a paper and walked out. Sam followed in a few minutes after patting Ria on the back affectionately.

Fi stood up and said "Well if my brother is the problem…I'll deal with that."

"I wouldn't suggest that if I were you…he's still not gotten over you not calling him but calling Sean and never updating him ever in all the five years…especially since he always thought that he was 'the best bro ever'" Maria said air-quoting it.

"Oh god" Fi moaned "First of all…Sean came on his own! I didn't give him a platinum invite and second of all….I never updated anybody else either…including mom! And third of all, just cause he's apparently 'the best' doesn't mean I'm gonna _live_ on the telephone with him…does he have any other work than worrying himself sick about others?"

"You know him…he's gonna do his emotional torture on you…"

Fi shook her head and was gonna walk out when Mike stopped her and asked "uh how will you contact him?"

"I don't know….it's my brother…probably through mom…or Maria give it here…"

"Yeah here…" Maria gave the contact info to Fi. Fi took a deep breath as if to ready herself, and then walked into the other room to have the longest chat of her life…

Mike watched Fi walk into the guestroom and looked at Maria, a small look of concern clouded his features. She gave him a reassuring smile and said "Sit down Mike"

Mike gave her a smile and sat down.

"So…I heard you got burned. How does that feel?" Maria asked inquisitively.

"Not that great I suppose…Wait! How do you know that?"

"Fi told me."

"When? How?"

"Michael…I took a 45 minute bath right now. I can't lift my left arm to comb my hair without tearing my stitches apart. Yeah 45 minutes."

"So you were in the bathroom right? How do you know I was burned?"

"I told you! Fi told me…We're women Mike! We talk. What you don't talk in the bathroom?"

Mike looked around at the corners of the room before looking at her like she had just lost her brain in a ditch. "No. Who does? Are you ok?"

"Yes I am!Anyway Fi told me you were burned and then you got back in? How does that work?"

"Not exactly 'gotten-back-in' in…I'm still burned. Except now I am a glorified CIA asset."

"So what you like help them when one of the guys go on an unexpected vacation or something? Fi told me you guys went to Venezuela…and a few other places?"

"Is there anything she did not tell you?" Mike asked looking amazed.

"Nothing much…So tell me….I heard you and Fi moved in…." Maria said giving her most coy smile.

"Yeah." He said trying to cut the highly embarrassing conversation out. He was definitely going red….it was as though boiling water was rising rapidly inside him; a burning sensation that was causing his face to smart even in the Miami heat.

"Ooooh I touched a nerve…soft spot!" she said smirking. Was he that obvious?

"So when you asked her to move in, I heard there was wine and jazz music…aren't you the little romantic!" Maria asked cupping her face between her hands. "You got jazz for her Mike? How cute is that?"

"Yes…it was a present from one of my friends…" he said trying not to flee from that room.

"Oh so you had planned this before!" she said now breaking out into a full grin.

"No I…" he said awkwardly.

"What about Costa Rica? You planned that too? She told me you guys had a lot of fun…" she said winking all of a sudden. "But were interrupted by the CIA…"

"Hey! You know _everything_! What you bugged the place? Fi told you all this in 45 minutes? You were like this in Ireland too! You knew more about our relationship than I did! Why don't _you_ date her instead of me? Or better still! Why don't you come and live with us! It'll be much easier for you then!"

"oh don't get snappy! Girls talk. About _everything!"_

Mike was gonna snap something at her when a shout broke his thread of thought…

"DAMN IT! STOP ACTING LIKE SUCH A MUTT!"

"What do you think is going on there?" Maria said pointing a finger toward the closed guest room door.

"Nothing good, I'm guessing…" Mike said.

"I get it! I let you out of my life…but let bygones be bygones! Let me go!" Fi's voice echoed.

"That doesn't look good…" Mike said wincing.

"Look! Ria is fine. She's with me! And I am _not_ a three year old! If….I…If I knew O'Neill was coming I would've called you first! Fine? But I didn't cos Sean came on his own! Just let me go! We got work to do Daniel Andrew Glenanne! OH yeah! I'm middle naming you! …Don't you dare! Nobody knows that! Oh who are you gonna tell it to? I'm not gonna give the phone to anybody! Running to Mommy are we? Stupid twit! Yeah bye!"

Suddenly, there was a loud noise of somebody hitting their fist against the door and a very dejected Fi came out.

"Please tell me the outside world was more happy…" Fi said dragging a chair for herself.

"Nothing very happy…uh Maria here was interrogating me about our relationship status…amongst other things…"

"Yes but I didn't get very good intel out of him though, he was more preoccupied trying not to run away and controlling his face from looking like a tomato."

"But why do you have to-

"She wasn't grilling you Michael. She's just asking you…it's what I would have done…" Fi said matter-of-factly.

Mike looked absolutely affronted and was going to say something when the phone rang.

"_Mike! Mike! Mike! We are dead peril…oh my god! This is the world's biggest crisis!"_

"Sam, wait! What are you talking about?"

"_Nothing I can tell you right now! Just haul your ass up to Biscayne highway and damn it! Do it fast!"_

"Sam I'm coming." Mike said running out of the door to the Charger screaming an "I'll be back Fi! Don't move and secure the place!"


	7. Chapter 7 Down the hill

_**Author's note: I decided to continue this story to take a break from my other one 'A tryst with Destiny' :) well I know I updated after a few million years but I had to get into the flow… so anyway hope u guys like it and let me know what you think :)**_

Mike sped through the traffic, his heart beating like the engine of an F1 racing car. There was so much running through his mind that if he went and hit against the truck in front of him, he wouldn't be in the least bit surprised. Sam's words were still swimming and floating around in his head urging him to hurry still. SEAL training had trained Sam to keep his vocal chords level at all times, but it didn't mean that Mike could not read the urgency that Sam couldn't help but show…

He shouldn't have let Sam and Jesse go there without even the least bit of firepower to back them. The fact that all of them had a 9 millimeter out of habit was not in the least bit comforting to Mike…Two 9 mils wouldn't stand a chance against people who were weapon dealers by business. Moreover Sam had said that they were outnumbered 1 to 5. Those were bad odds. It was almost 10 minutes since Sam's phone call, if Sam and Jesse were outed, they'd be surrounded by the gang by now. Mike didn't want to think about the spectacle he'd have to see if even one in the entire group got a little too trigger-happy. He'd never be the same again if he had to see a bloodied up body and know it was Sam's or Jesse's. There were only so many things he could bear before he lost his mental stability. He was driving Fi's Hyundai, apart from the fact that it had the best horsepower it was also a mini tank when it to armory. She carried automatics like donuts.

Sam barely had time to tell him the entire address before he could hear gunshots going off in the background. He could also the distinctive strain of Jesse's voice in the chaos going on…Then the phone got cut leaving Mike to conjure up more and more frightening images of seeing to blood covered disfigured and tortured bodies…his friends. The only people he could trust over and over again, the only ones who had his back. Things were never clear in his head…emotions, strategies, secrets, information, doubts all floated around of being deprived of clear boundaries; but in all that soup his thoughts of saving his friends stuck out like zooming neon signs. The funniest things happen when way too much blood and oxygen flows to one's brain. Time seems to slow down… Things haze out in the middle for a few seconds each. Memories come crashing back like the waves in a tsunami. And lastly; Things just seem a lot more clearer to you. Making a plan then was the easiest thing Michael had ever attempted.

The motel obviously was in a more secure location but from the sounds of it, Sam and Jesse hadn't made it till there. Instead they had camped out at a warehouse. As a defensive position, this was great but Mike was going offensive and his friends could not have chosen a more 'sucky' place than that. But Sam had found enough time to tell him where they were holding base. Stopping in front of the warehouse he opened the Hyundai's boot and took out the first thing he saw; an M16 assault rifle.

Setting it all up from the start, slipping in 2 smaller handguns for the both of them, he picked up all the ammo his pockets could carry, he walked in only to see that the entire warehouse was absolutely desolate and looked every bit as abandoned as a ghost house or plagued town. Not a man of chances, he still had his gun trained as he checked around crates and industrial-sized storage units.

It did no good to his pulse rate as he as he saw a few spattering of blood. Then he spotted it again not so very far away…as he followed the trail, he started feeling very sorry for the person who got wounded this bad. The trail now was like a highway of blood. Turning on the torch on his phone he shone it on the lump in concern. Lump had legs, long legs, long bloody legs…the lump's shirt was even bloodier, so much so that if 'lump' was wearing a shirt of a color other than red it was not very visible. There lay a 9 mil next to Lump's splayed out arms, and unlike the rest of his body; Lump's face was quite devoid of blood inside or out. It had all been draining out….The lump was in bad shape…Lump was Jesse…

Mike didn't run, he dragged his feet over to what seemed like the lifeless body of his friend. A man who an hour ago was standing at his full imposing height of 6 feet and yet managing to look just jovial and friendly was now looking just deadly pale as if someone had robbed him of all the color his skin possessed.

He bent down next to Jesse feeling for a pulse…praying for a pulse. His prayers answered, there was a pulse. The amount of blood loss he had suffered, Mike had expected that he'd have to give Jesse a CPR but where in the grand event of things had Mike forgotten that Jesse was a fighter through and through. His pulse felt stronger than Mike's at the moment. Michael shut his eyes and held the bridge of his nose in an elevated sense of tension. He heard what a liar would call a laugh…Mike was a liar…Jesse had laughed.

"Man…I'm so… feeling …the love here. You thought I was dead didn't you?" There was that deep chuckle again.

"Hey Jess"

"Dude, I'm not so easy to get rid of. Now would you do me a favor, Michael?"

"No, I'm not going to marry you Jesse"

"Yeah 'cos your wedding ring is stuck in my shoulder and its itching me so…I'd be highly honored if you'd just pull it out and slip it on."

Mike and Jesse laughed as Mike pulled a bullet out of Jesse's right shoulder. Taking a corner of Jesse's shirt he tied it on the shoulder blade tightly much to Jesse's annoyment.

"I hate this 'constricting-the-blood-flow' crap... It hurts like a bitch"

"Remember that the next time you decide to play Robin Hood."

"I'm thinking more like…Superman"

"That's taken" Mike said matter-of-factly.

"How's Batman then?"

"Sam…where's Sam?"

"I was …going to ask you! I got hit at and I fell and hit my head and got knocked out. I had just about comeback to life before you arrived. I thought Sam was with you…you know keeping a lookout."

The blood in mike's veins froze and clogged up his arteries. "Sam's not with you?"

"No" said Jesse now sounding worried.

"He's not with me either." Mike said looking around in an absolute state of overdrive.

"Have a gun that works better than this shit?" Jesse said pointing in disgust toward his discarded 9 mil.

Mike just gave him one of the handguns. He felt horrible about not having to give the other one to Sam. Somehow that would be symbolic to having Sam with them. Instead he quietly helped Jesse to his feet and helped him hobble towards the car. All the way through Jesse kept cursing his own foolhardiness to let Sam out of his sight. The more he talked, the more Mike could sense the self-disgust rising.

Jesse felt like a traitor, to the friendship that had grown between Sam and him. Sam had arrived at his doorstep to ask him which color would look good on him for a date with Elsa. They'd end up drinking a couple of beers and playing a game of darts at the board which Jesse kept for his own entertainment. A Saturday night well-spent…

Michael's hands clutched at the steering wheel till the blood started draining out of the extremities of his fingers. Not that it mattered…nothing did anymore. He had nowhere to turn without his friends and the way he looked at the situation right now all his friends seemed to be in some kind of jeopardy…

They had scouted the place for some sight that would suggest that Sam was safe and _alive_ but nothing…absolutely _nothing_ was indicative of that…to boot they saw the abandoned car just where it was…Sam was well and truly gone.

The worry and concern ripped at Mike's chest. Tearing him apart one rib at a time. The worry was slowly swallowing Michael up. It was his thoughts, his emotion, and his words. The enormity of losing Sam to some unknown force lay fast in his head. With everything other than Sam taking second place…

It wasn't too long before Jesse noticed the lack of attention to bigger problems. Like driving…and well…his bleeding shoulder. Jesse had clamped up the wound and held on tight but the blood wasn't clotting and he was quickly losing way too much blood. Suddenly, pleasant, cool feeling came to his toes. It was nice, a pleasant sort of respite to the blistering Miami heat. The cool feeling was traveling up his legs and up his spinal chord. Jesse was enjoying the inner cooling so much he didn't notice when the cold in his feet extended to every part of his body and the intensity increased twofold. He was feeling a little lightweight. The way one feels when one is getting rid of excess load. He felt ridden by the burden of his feet and hands. It felt so comfortable. The lightness was reaching his head, removing the burden of pain. No pain. All his five senses were floating in space…His eyes noticed they had reached Maddie's street but his brain took no effort to realize it. There he was detached his only duty that of breathing. What if he didn't do that either? What would that feel like, no breaths? Jesse tried...


End file.
